Flamefeather snarled at the leader. She was deputy! She should be allowed to choose!

"They need to leave!"

"I will not drive these cats away! Unless they pose a threat, we have nothing against them!"

"They threaten our clan when they take out food!"

"No! I will not let you drive these cats out!"

Flamefeather glared for a moment more before she stormed from the cave and to the warriors den.

"Pinestar thinks he knows everything! He can't see that his cats are starving before his very eyes! Littledapple already died from starvation, and we'll all be joining him in skyclan if we don't drive these cats out soon!"

She hissed under her breath. She had been giving up all her rations of prey to the elders and queens, and it still wasn't enough! She was nothing but skin and bones now. Her once beautiful tortoise shell pelt was now ragged and patchy, and her once sparky green eyes were dull and seemingly lifeless. She sighed. She couldn't do it any more. She unsteadily padded to Dawnstreaks den. The tang of herbs filled the air.

"Dawnstreak?"

the black Tom looked up, his orange streaked ears perking at the sound of a voice.

"Flamefeather? How can I help you?"

Flamefeather sighed.

"I need you to convince Pinestar to let me lead a raiding party on the invading cats."

Dawnstreak sighed, then inclined his head.

"I'll talk to him."

"That's all I ask."

Flamefeather murmured. She watched as Dawnstreak left the den. She feared it was too late to save the cats of Darkclan, but she would give her life before she saw the clan die out. She perked her head as Dawnstreak came back. He nodded, a steely glint in his eyes that wasn't there before. Flamefeathers fur bristled. She hissed in satisfaction.

"We strike tonight."

Flamefeather flicked her tail and her warriors surged forward in a tidal wave of fury. Warriors leaped on rogues, waking them from their peaceful slumber. Blood spattered the grass, scarlet against green. Cats screeched in pain. Kits yowled in terror as their mothers left the nest to fight. Claws flashed under the light of the half-moon. And Flamefeather struggled for her life under the claws of great ginger tom.

"How dare you!"

He spat.

"How dare I?! You steal our food! Kill our apprentices!"

With a flash of grief, a picture of a dappled brown tabby flashed through her mind. Claws dug into her neck and she went limp, hoping he would buy the feint. It didn't work. The tom slashed his claws across her throat. Her eyes widened and a screech of pain and fear escaped her.

"Flamefeather!"

Sunstrike jumped on the tom that had just attacked his mentor and bit down on his spine. He gave on last yowl, and was still. Sunstrike stared down at the cat he had just killed, the rage had left his veins. Now all he felt was ice. Slowly, that faded too. He whipped around and raced to Flamefeathers side.

"No..."

The torteshell lay on her side in a pool of her own blood. Sunstrike gave a yowl of grief as he saw that her chest was still. The great deputy...was dead.

Cats sat in the light of the moon. A blue tom had just left to get a cat they all knew and respected. Whispers drifted through the air.

"...a battle..."

"...already dead..."

"...nothing he can do..."

"...a loyal warrior..."

"...deputy...Darkclan...what now?"

"...no point..."

The tom came back and the whispers ceased.

"Cats of Skyclan. Flamefeather has joined our ranks tonight!"

A mottled torteshell she-cat joined him.

"Thank you Bluefang."

She whispered. Cats watched as she glanced back, as if their was something there. Bluefang laid his tail across her shoulders.

"There's no point."

Flamefeather looked at him in shock.

"What?"

"All hope is lost."